Scheibe
warp knit tubular netting



Jan. 24, 1967 w. H. SCHEIBE WARP KNIT TUBULAR NETTING 6 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1965 FIG.!

INVENTOR. Y WALTER H. SCHEIBE AGENT Jan. 24, 1967 w. H. SCHEIBE WARP KNIT TUBULAR NETTING 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1965 INVENTOR:

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y nd who AGENT Jan. 24, 1967 w. H. SCHEIBE WARP KNIT TUBULAR NETTING 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 10, 1965 INVENTOR? WALTER HUGO SCHEIBE AGENT United States Patent WARP KNIT TUBULAR NETTING Walter H. Scheibe, Im Kobener 13, Oberursel, Taunus, Germany Filed Aug. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 478,643 Claims priority, application, Germany, May 19, 1962, K 46,785 11 Claims. (Cl. 66-195) This is a continuation-in-part of my copending U.S. patent applications, Serial No. 125,591, filed July 20, 1961, and No. 209,727, filed July 18, 1962. These applications both are now abandoned.

This invention relates to tubular net-like structures, and is more particularly concerned with warp-knit tubular netting of a type useful in tubular fishing nets, particularly drag nets, in net bags for packing fruit and the like, and for other purposes.

Package envelopes made for continuous tubular net material are commonly employed. The tubular netting is produced in continuous lengths on braiding machines, and has also been knitted on circular knitting machines, whereafter it is divided into longitudinal sections which are then sealed on at least one end. It is inherently impossible to produce more than one tubular structure simultaneously on a braiding machine or on a circular knitting machine. Fishing nets are still produced mainly by knotting ropes.

An object of the invention is to provide tubular netting which is capable of being produced on a warp knitting machine, more specifically a Raschel knitting machine, at the high production rates of which such machines are capable.

Another object is the provision of tubular netting which is ladderproof.

A further object is the provision of tubular netting which is circumferentially uniform and free from seams.

A more specific object is the provision of warp knit netting which comes from the knitting machine with its longitudinal elements or wales tightly juxtaposed so that a multiplicity of tubular structures may be simultaneously knitted on one machine, and whose mesh may be expanded after knitting to a combined width much greater than that of the machine.

Yet another object is the manufacture of tubular netting having bottoms integrally formed therein at desired intervals so that net bags ready for use may be obtained by merely severing longitudinal portions of the knitted tube from each other by a transverse cut.

The exact nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from consideration of the following specification related to the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a Raschel knitting machine in fragmentary side elevation;

FIG. 2 shows the trick plates and associated needles of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1 in a conventional plan view;

ice

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a fabric made on the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 showdetails of the diagram of FIG. 3'

on an enlarged scale, the enlarged portions being indicated in FIG. 3 by broken lines;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a piece of netting represented by FIG. 3 in the expanded state;

FIG. 7 shows a fishing net of the invention in partial plan view;

FIG. 8 illustrates a drag net of the invention in elevation; and

FIG. 9 is a diagram of a bottom section in tubular netting of the invention otherwise identical with the fabric shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 1 shows as much of a conventional Raschel knitting machine, as is needed for an understanding of this invention. A portion of the knitting machine frame 1 is illustrated together with two needle bars 2, 3 mounted on the frame by means of rods 4, 5 which are moved by a non-illustrated cam mechanism in a known manner. The needles mounted on the bars 2, 3 are respectively arranged for longitudinal movement in the grooves of trick plates 6, 7 to take yarn or thread from guide needles 10, 11, 14, 15 mounted on respective guide bars, and actuated by a non-illustrated pattern mechanism, as is usual.

FIG. 2 shows the trick plates and the needles received therein in a conventional manner. The needle bar 2 will hereinafter be designated as the front needle bar, and the needle bar 3 as the back needle bar. The needle bars and the associated trick plates are oifset sideways by one half of a needle spacing. Not all grooves in the trick plates receive needles. Empty grooves in the front trick plate 6 and corresponding gaps in the row of needles on the front needle bar 2are indicated by circles at 22, 21, 17 and 24, whereas needles are shown by black dots at 16, 18, 23. Similarly, gaps on the back needle bar are shown by circles at 28, 25, 27 and 20, and needles at 19, 26 and 29. The pattern of needles and gaps extends over the length of each needle bar in a manner that will presently become apparent, and is symmetrical.

For details of operating a suitable conventional Raschel machine only partly illustrated and described above, the reader is. referred to Manufacture of Raschel Wool and Cotton Outerwear by Ch. Rotenstein, published in 1954 by the National Knitted Outerwear Association, New York, N.Y., and such trade publications as The Hosiery Trade Journal, and particularly a paper on The Versatility of Raschel Machines by J. B. Lancashire (March 1955). As indicated in the afore-mentioned book, gaps in the row of needles on a needle bar may be replaced by latch needles whose latches are kept closed, and plain pins without latches perform the same functions.

The manner of knitting a tubular fabric of the invention on the afore-described Raschel knitting machine will next be described with reference to the diagram of FIG.

. 3,'details'of which are shown on a larger scale in'FIGS. 4

and 5. The corresponding movements of the four guide bars are as indicated in Table 1:

Table 1 I II. III. IV.

H azcawq moveoq omwq mcnoaq oooovq oomqw en ue: wwqo: P -leo ant-10: normea cameeQ Referring initially to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown two threads 8, 9 normally knitting on the front needle bar 2 to form front courses F, and guided in the guide needles 10, 11, and-two threads 12, 13 normally knitting on the back needle bed 3 to form back courses B and guided in the guide needles 14, 15. Particular reference Will now be had to the right marginal portion of the knitted fabric seen in FIG. 3 and partly illustrated in FIGS. -4 and 5, it being understood that a symmetrical pattern of stitches is formed on the left margin.

The threads 8, 9 extend in course F over two needle spaces in opposite directions, the thread 8 being looped over the needle 16 and through the gap 17, and the thread 9 over the needle 18 and through the gap 17. The rapport of the front layer of the knitted net shown in FIG. 3 begins with course F The movements of the threads 8 and 9 are the same in course F; as in course F and a knot is formed in course F by crossing the threads 8, 9. The yarn 8 moves over the two needle spaces of the gap 17 and of the needle 18 and the thread 9 moves conversely over the gap 17 and the needle 16. The threads 8, 9 revert to their original positions in course F the thread 8 being positioned over the gap 17 and the needle 16, whereas the thread 9 passes over the gap 17 and the needle 16. This pattern is repeated to course F7 where another knot is formed. Whereas the knot in course F is formed by crossing threads associated with the same needle bar, the knot in course F involves crossing threads respectively associated with the front and back needle bars, as best seen in FIG. 5. p

The thread 8 is knitted on the single needle 19 of the back needle bar 3 in knitting the course B The thread 9 and the central threads not specifically identified and repeating the same pattern in a fabric portion farther removed from the margin, also knit on the back needle bar 3 but the thread 9 is looped at the gap 20 and the other threads are looped at corresponding gaps so that no stitch is formed in course B by any thread associated with the front needle bar 2, except the marginal thread 8.

The thread 8 thereafter again knits on the front needle bar 2 to form the course F in which the thread is moved over the gaps 21, 22 so that no stitch is formed whereas the thread 9 and the afore-mentioned central threads normally associated with the front needle bar 2 are moved over two needle spaces in course F respectively occupied by the needle 23 and the gap 24. The threads 8 and 9 move from course F to course F over the needles '16, 18, respectively, and the gap 17. This pattern is repeated to course F whereby the rapport of the front layer of wales is completed.

The corresponding courses of the back layer on the needle bar 3 are knitted by the threads 12, 13 which move in the course B in opposite directions over two needle spaces each, the thread 12 moving over the gap 25 and needle 19, and the thread 13 over the gap 29 and the needle 26, as best seen in FIG. 4. The rapport of the back layer of Wales begins with the formation of a knot in the course B by the crossing of the threads 12, 13, the marginal thread 12 moving over the gap 27 and the needle 26, Whereas the thread 13 is moved over the gap 27 and the needle 19. The threads. 12, 13 cross each other again to the course B In that course, the marginal thread 12 passes over the needle 19 and the gap 25, and the thread 13 passes the needle 26 and the gap 20. This pattern is repeated to course B In course B best seen in FIG. 5, the marginal thread 12 passes over the two gaps 25, 28 in the back needle bar 3, and the thread 13 and other threads farther removed from the margin pass over the gap 20 and the needle 29 and corresponding elements of the back needle bar 3. The threads 12, 13 then knit on the front needle bar 2 in course F the thread 12 being looped on the needle 16, and the thread 13 being looped in the gap 17, and all other threads normally associated with the back needle bar being looped over corresponding gaps so that a stitch is formed only at the margin by the thread 12.

The threads 12, 13 then revert to the back needle bar 3 for knitting the course B the marginal thread -12 passing over the gap 25 and the needle 19, and the thread 13 over the gap 20 and the needle 26. This pattern is repeated to course B where the rapport ends.

It is evident that the several threads 8, 9, 12, 13 form wales which are connected by spaced knots formed Where the threads cross each other. The direction of rotary looping motion of each thread changes at the knots. Referring specifically to the thread 12, it is seen in FIG. 3

and B and are formed counterclockwise from course B to course B Twisting of the threads is thereby avoided.

The fabric coming from the knitting machine essentially consists of two layers of wales, each wale being formed by consecutive stitches arranged in courses with the transversely aligned stitches of the other wales. The Wales at the margins of the two layers are common to both layers. The several threads are mainly associated with specific wales, and each thread extends in the associated wale over several consecutive courses, as exemplified by thread 8 and courses F to P of the wale associated with the needle 16. This first portion of the thread 8 is interposed between a second portion in courses F and F and a third portion in course B The second portion extends toward the adjacent wale associated with needle 18 on the front bar 2, whereas the third portion extends toward the wale on the back bar needle 19. An analogous relationship exists between the several portions of the marginal thread 12. The other threads which are removed from the margin, such as the threads 9 and 13, are normally associated with the needles 18 and 26 in the front and back needle bars, respectively, but their second and third portions extend to adjacent wales in the same layer of wales.

Each wale of chain or warp stitches in the fabric thus is constituted by a plurality of longitudinally consecutive sections. Several of these sections are formed by longitudinal portions of the same thread which are connected wale-wise by sections of threads normally associated with adjacent wales.

Because of this structure, the fabric diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 3, forms a tubular net when taken from the knitting machine and expanded in a coursewise direction, as shown in FIG. 6. The chain sections formed by consecutive stitches of the same thread constitute the sides 100 of the meshes, and the knots 101 are formed where adjacent Wales are connected by the crossing over the threads from one Wale to the other.

The front and back layers of wales are indistinguishable after expansion of the fabric, and the distinction between marginal Wales and other wales disappears. The fabric is seamless and cirmferentially uniform.

When the number of courses in the mesh sides 100 is reduced after the knitting of each row of knits 101, a net is produced, which tapers longitudinally in the manner indicated in FIG. 7, which shows only one circumferential half of a tapering tubular net of the invention. The net inherently has as many uniform openings 102 in a circumferential row at one longitudinal end thereof as there are openings 103 at the other end, but the openings 102 and 103 differ in size. Three net sections 104, 105, 106 of the type illustrated in FIG. 7 may be sewn together to form the drag net shown in FIG. 8, which is intended to be drawn through the Water by a boat attached to the net sections 105, 106 by ropes 107.

Knitted nets of the invention may also be employed as net bags. The tubular fabric shown in FIG. 3 may be provided with integrally knit bottoms spaced walewise end connecting the front and back layers of Wales in a manner illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 9. The Raschel knitting machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is employed in making the fabric of FIG. 9, and the same numerals designate the same needles and gaps and the corresponding threads in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 9. The movements of the guide bars necessary for producing the fabric diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 9 are indicated in a conventional manner in Table 2, and are preferably controlled by a separate pattern chain in a known manner (see Lancashire, Le.)

6 Table 2 H ooaqq uneven Lemme lemme women Manna! Leonora wwcncn mannalemma mac-cu lemma NGUHO woqo: ww co tmpqoa aware: vhrb oo when: samw anew emqw larvae: )PVFQOJ w-thenm Ofilbwfl moccq moaeeq macaw @mwq mwqq omhceq mmmq maze-1Q macoq manna macro:

WOONKI 003% 009% The rapport of the fabric portion illustrated extends over twelve courses, F to P in the front layer of wales, and B to B in the back layer. Referring initially to the threads 8, 9 which are respectively guided by the guide needles 10, 11, it is seen that courses F and F in FIG. 9 are equal to the corresponding courses in FIG. 3, and that differences appear thereafter. The marginal thread 8 passes to course 13; and is looped over the needle 19 of the back needle bed 3. It then forms warp stitches in the wale associated with the needle 19 through courses B to B It reverts to the front layer in course E, where it passes over the needle 16 and forms a stitch on the needle 17, thence going to the back needle bed 3, for courses B7 to B11.

The thread 9 and other threads normally associated with the front needle bed 2 and farther removed from the marginal thread 8 similarly change from the front needle bed 2 to the back needle bed 3 in course B and revert to the front needle bed 1 in course. F The threads 12, 13 of the back needle bed 3 switch to the front needle bed in course F and revert to the back needle bed in course B to resume knitting on the needle bed 2 in course F They return to the back needle bed 3 only in course B All threads thereafter are knitted in the manner shown in FIG. 3 to produce straight tubular netting.

If a fabric of the type represented by FIG. 3 is provided with threads connecting the front and back layers of wales in the manner of FIG. 9 at regular intervals, the substantially continuous tubular net can be cut transversely into net bags having integrally Woven bottoms anywhere between the courses shown in FIG. 9 in an obvious manner.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically disclosed.

What is claimed is:

1. A tubular net comprising, in combination:

(a) a plurality of elongated threads;

(b) each thread having a plurality of first longitudinal portions;

(c) each first longitudinal thread portion constituting a section of a chain of warp stitches, said section extending walewise over a plurality of courses;

((1) each chain including a plurality of said sections successively arranged in a walewise direction;

(e) said chains being normally juxtaposed transversely of said direction;

(f) each thread further having a plurality of second longitudinal portions respectively interposed between two adjacent ones of said first portions of said thread;

(g) each second portion extending in a coursewise direction from at least one of said adjacent first portions and the warp chain section constituted thereby, and being interengaged with a portion of a thread constituting a section of a chain juxtaposed to the warp chain section constituted by said one adjacent first portion;

(h) said second longitudinal thread portions integrally connecting said warp chains in a coursewise direction into a tubular structure having an axis extending in a normally walewise direction.

2. A net as set forth in claim 1, wherein the number of courses in successive sections of each chain decreases in a common walewise direction.

3. A net as set forth in claim, 1, wherein a plurality of said threads have respective third longitudinal portions, each third portion being integrally interposed between two adjacent ones of said first portions and extending from at least one of said adjacent first portions and the warp chain section constituted thereby in a direction transverse of said walewise and coursewise directions, and interengaging a portion of a thread constituting a section of said net remote from the warp chain section constituted by said one first portion adjacent said third portion, said chains being adapted to be aligned in parallel alignment in such a manner that warp stitches thereof jointly constitute a course of warp stitches, said third portions extending in a common course.

4. A net as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sections of each chain is constituted by the same thread.

5. A net as set forth in claim 1, wherein said two first portions adjacent said second portion are constituted by the same thread.

6. A net as set forth in claim 1, wherein two of said chains are adapted to be juxtaposed in coursewise alignment of the warp stitches thereof, and the second portions of threads constituting respective sections of said two chains extend from each of said two chains to the other one in a common course and are interengaged with a. thread constituting a section of said other chain.

7. In an elongated tubular fabric,

(a) a plurality of longitudinal wales including two marginal wales and two superimposed layers of wales arranged between said marginal wales, said marginal wales being common to both layers;

(b) each wale consisting of a plurality of longitudinally consecutive stitches, and corresponding transverse- 1y aligned stitches of said wales constituting a course;

(c) the fabric being constituted by a plurality of elongated threads, each thread having a first longitudinal portion extending in an associated wale over a plurality of consecutive courses and constituting said stitches in said courses, and second and third longitudinal portions;

((1) said first portion being longitudinally interposed between said second and third portions, and said second and third portions extend from said associated wale toward respective adjacent wales;

(e) the second and third portions of the threads in said marginal wales extending to adjacent wales in said two layers respectively, and the second and third portions of the threads in the remaining ones of said wales extending to adjacent wales in the same layer of wales.

8. In a fabric as set forth in claim 7, said second portions of said threads extending in a first common course, and said third portions of said threads extending in a second common course.

9. In a fabric as set forth in claim 8, said threads in said remaining wales each having an additional portion extending from a wale in one of said layers to a wale in the other layer.

10. In a fabric as set forth in claim 7, said threads each having a fourth portion consecutive to said second portion and extending from said adjacent wale to said associated wale.

11. In an elongated fabric, in combination, a plurality of longitudinal wales including two marginal wales and two superimposed layers of wales arranged between said marginal wales, said marginal wales being common to said layers, each wale consisting of a plurality of longitudinally consecutive stitches, and corresponding transversely aligned stitches of said wales constituting a course, the fabric being constituted by a plurality of threads, each thread having a portion extending in a respective wale over a plurality of courses and constituting said stitches in said courses, another portion extending from the last mentioned wale toward an adjacent wale in the same layer of wales and constituting a transverse connection between the two wales in the same layer, the latter two wales being connected by a plurality of transverse connections longitudinally spaced from each other by a plurality of said courses, each thread having a further portion extending between wales in respective ones of said layers in a course intermediate two of said transverse connections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 459,866 9/1891 Clewley 66-170 606,719 7/1898 Hill 66-170 1,266,459 5/1918 Hahn 66-87 3,109,302 11/1963 Vitek 66193 3,118,294 1/1964 Van Laethem 66193 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner.

P. C. FAW, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TUBULAR NET COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED THREADS; (B) EACH THREAD HAVING A PLURALITY OF FIRST LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS; (C) EACH FIRST LONGITUDINAL THREAD PORTION CONSTITUTING A SECTION OF A CHAIN OF WARP STITCHES, SAID SECTION EXTENDING WALEWISE OVER A PLURALITY OF COURSES; (D) EACH CHAIN INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SAID SECTIONS SUCCESSIVELY ARRANGED IN A WALEWISE DIRECTION; (E) SAID CHAINS BEING NORMALLY JUXTAPOSED TRANSVERSELY OF SAID DIRECTION; (F) EACH THREAD FURTHER HAVING A PLURALITY OF SECOND LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY INTERPOSED BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT ONES OF SAID FIRST PORTIONS OF SAID THREAD; (G) EACH SECOND PORTION EXTENDING IN A COURSEWISE DIRECTION FROM AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ADJACENT FIRST POR- 